Freediving and Snorkeling in Raja Ampat

Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit Indonesia, I used to go freediving at a beach in Waigeo island. My aim was to take underwater pictures of fish, coral reef and other marine creatures that thrive in the coral reef. Unfortunately, the visibility was very poor because of heavy rain in the previous day. 

Snorkeling and freediving in Raja Ampat

It was a recreational freediving, so I did not dive too deep. As usual I saw a lot of fish in the water. There was a very interesting fish that I saw today. It was sitting on a rock in the shallow water.

Fish at the drop off area of the coral reef

Waigeo is a big island in Raja Ampat. It is still covered by rainforest and coral reef.

If you are interested in visiting Raja Ampat, and want me to organize your snorkeling and rainforest tour, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Liburan ke Lembah Klasouw di Kabupaten Sorong

Kabupaten Sorong memiliki kawasan hutan yang indah sekali untuk dijadikan sebagai destinasi wisata alam. Selama beberapa tahun belakangan sebelum adanya pandemi Covid-19, banyak sekali wisatawan internasional yang berkunjung ke kabupaten Sorong untuk melihat keanekaragaman hayati dari flora dan fauna yang ada di hutan hujan tropis Sorong. 

Salah satu lokasi yang mereka tuju adalah Lembah Klasouw yang terletak di sebelah timur kota Sorong dan dapat dijangkau dengan kendaraan 4WD dengan waktu tempuh sekitar 2 jam.

Wisatawan yang berkunjung ke sana biasanya menghabiskan waktu kurang lebih 3 hari/2 malam untuk melihat berbagai jenis satwa yang ada di hutan. Wisatawan lokal biasanya memanfaatkan liburan akhir pekan atau tanggal merah. Di siang hari mereka bisa melihat burung Kakak Tua Putih, Kakaktua Raja, atau Raja Udang Paruh Kuning. Jejak dan kotoran burung kasuari sering terlihat di hutan. Jika beruntung, wisatawan bisa melihat burung raksasa ini. 

Ada berbagai jenis kupu-kupu yang berwarna-warni di hutan tropis Lembah Klasouw ini. Salah satu yang berukuran besar dan memiliki warna yang mencolok adalah kupu-kupu biru (Blue Mountain Swallowtail Butterfly).

Wisatawan Swiss di atas Lembah Klasouw, Kabupaten Sorong

Penjelajahan hutan di malam hari sering juga dilakukan oleh wisatawan dengan dipandu oleh warga setempat. Satwa nokturnal seperti lao-lao (wallaby), kuskus pohon, serta burung hantu Papuan Frogmouth bisa kita saksikan. Wisatawan biasanya tinggal di rumah-rumah penduduk (homestay). Ada kasur sederhana yang dipasangi kelambu.

Kampung Klatomok

Ada banyak kampung di Lembah Klasouw yang bisa dikunjungi wisatawan yang tertarik untuk melihat beragam jenis flora dan fauna yang ada di hutan hujan tropis Papua Barat. Salah satunya adalah Kampung Klatomok. Kampung ini sudah dikunjungi oleh wisatawan domestik maupun manca negara yang tertarik  melihat hewan marsupial lao-lao dan kuskus, atau burung Jagal Papua, Raja Udang Biru Ekor Panjang. Wisatawan yang ke sana bisa juga mencoba kegiatan tokok, dan meramas sagu untuk menghasilkan tepung. Setelah dibawa ke kampung, wisatawan bisa ikut mencoba memasak sagu untuk membuat papeda atau mencampurnya dengan santan dan gula merah lalu membakarnya untuk dinikmati dengan teh panas atau kopi susu. Rasanya gurih sekali.

Wisatawan Indonesia di Kampung Klatomok, Kabupaten Sorong

Kampung Klatomok di Kabupaten Sorong

Nah, jika Pandemi Covid-19 telah berlalu dan Anda ingin menikmati udara segar yang dihasilkan langsung oleh pepohonan hijau di hutan, silahkan berkunjung ke sana.

Pramuwisata Kostan Magablo di hutan Sorong dengan wisatawan Inggris

Oh ya, jangan lupa bawa kamera, binocular serta membeli bahan makanan di supermarket atau di pasar tradisional di Sorong seperti beras, tempe, telur, mie instan, roti, ikan asar (ikan asap), buah-buah, dan lain-lain. Bahan makanan ini bisa dimasak oleh mama-mama yang tinggal di kampung Klatomok yang ada di Lembah Klasouw untuk kebutuhan wisatawan. 

Jangan kuatir kalau ingin berlibur ke kampung Klatomok karena mereka sudah terbiasa melayani wisatawan manca negera yang datang dari berbagai negara seperti Amerika Serikat dan Inggris.

Oh ya, karena Pandemi Covid masih ada, maka saya harap pembaca menahan diri terlebih dahulu untuk ke sana. Nanti jika aturan PPKM sudah dicabut oleh pemerintah maka perjalanan wisata bisa dilakukan dengan protokol kesehatan yang ketat.

Meskipun sederhana, Anda akan merasa nyaman tinggal dan berlibur di kampung serta berinteraksi dengan warga setempat. Ini ditulis oleh Charles Roring.

Memotret Nemo di Perairan Pesisir Manokwari

Saya tahu sejumlah kawasan terumbu karang di perairan Manokwari. Dulu sebelum Pandemi Covid-19 melanda Indonesia, saya sering memandu wisatawan internasional untuk menikmati kegiatan snorkeling di pantai. Kami bisa melihat berbagai spesies ikan nemo seperti: Pink Anemonefish, Red and Black Anemonefish, Spinecheek Anemonefish. Ada juga berbagai spesies ikan lainnya seperti Striped-Surgeonfish, Three-spots Dascyllus, Yellow-tailed Blue Damsel, Moorish Idol, Lionfish dan masih banyak lagi.

Ikan - ikan Nemo di Perairan Manokwari

Umumnya ikan nemo berada di kedalaman sekitar 1,5 - 10 meter di buttress zone dari kawasan terumbu karang. Kalau dalam bahasa sehari-hari, di zona tepian terumbu karang yang langsung jatuh ke laut dalam. Ini adalah zona terdepan dari terumbu karang yang menghadap laut dalam. Tentu bagi siapa saja yang tidak terbiasa berenang di tepian ini, akan terasa mengerikan jika melihat gelapnya laut dalam. Untuk memotretnya saya kadang harus melakukan selam bebas selama sekitar 1,5 menit. Agar tidak terdorong ke permukaan atau ditarik arus, saya harus mencari bebatuan yang keras dan menahannya. Setelah posisi stabil, saya mulai mengarahkan kamera ke ikan nemo lalu memotretnya. 

Ikan Nemo Merah Hitam (Red and Black Anemonefish)
serta Ikan Three Spot Dascyllus di terumbu karang Manokwari

Saya dulu menggunakan Canon G1X, Fujifilm XQ2 dengan rumahnya yang kedap air. Tapi sekarang ada kamera yang lebih kecil dan tahan air seperti Nikon AW 130.

Saya berusaha setenang mungkin di dalam air. Kamera disetel ke mode pengambilan foto ikan. Setelah memotret ikan beberapa kali maka saya bisa kembali ke permukaan untuk menghirup udara segar. 

Pantai Bakaro yang langsung menghadap laut bebas. Wisatawan perlu ekstra hati-hati kalau berenang di perairan ini.

Beberapa kawasan terumbu karang yang merupakan habitat alami dari ikan nemo antara lain: Pantai Abasi, Pasir Putih, Pulau mansinam, serta Pantai Bakaro dan Pulau Kaki. Karena Pantai Bakaro dan Pulau Kaki langsung menghadap laut bebas serta kadang berarus kencang, wisatawan yang hendak berenang di perairan ini sebaiknya perlu ekstra hati-hati. 

Saya sengaja menulis artikel pendek ini untuk menarik kepedulian kita semua tentang betapa indahnya dunia bawah laut. Kita perlu melestarikannya dengan mencegah sampah agar tidak masuk ke laut. Sampah yang dibuang sembarangan di tepi jalan dan halaman rumah, akan dibawa oleh air hujan ke selokan yang kemudian mengalir ke laut. Sebagai akibatnya, sampah akan merusak ekosistem terumbu karang yang ada di pesisir pantai. Kita bisa mengurangi atau berhenti menggunakan kantong atau barang-barang yang terbuat dari plastik, membuang sampah di bak-bak yang sudah disediakan pemerintah atau mendaur ulang.

Demikian sedikit cerita saya tentang kegemaran saya memotret ikan-ikan nemo. Semoga pembaca menikmatinya. Ini ditulis oleh Charles Roring 🙏

Sahul Sunbird in Minahasa Highland

Male Olive-backed Sunbird

After guiding tourists across Sulawesi, Ternate and Halmahera islands, I decided to go back to Minahasa for a 5-day birding and sightseeing tour in its highland and lowland with base in Sonder town. It was a very nice trip. I saw more interesting birds. Some of them were Turquoise Warbling Flycatcher, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Collared Kingfisher, Sulawesi Scops Owl, Cattle Egret, Hair-crested (White-eyed) Sulawesi Drongo, Slender-billed Crow, Chestnut Munia, Pale Blue Monarch, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, and a lot more.

There were small birds that I saw too. One of them was Sahul Sunbird (formerly called Olive-backed Sunbird). This little bird could hover in the air like a helicopter or dragon fly. I hadn't had an opportunity to shoot him while he was hovering. Two days ago, I saw him feeding on the nectar of papaya flower. He was quite close to me and I was able to take a picture of the bird.
If you are interested in visiting North Sulawesi for birding and sightseeing, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180

Also read:

• Birdwatching Tour in Minahasa Highland
• Wildlife Trip in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland

Mansinam Island and its Tourism Attractions

Mansinam island

Early Works of European Missionaries Started Here 

Mansinam is seen as the Island of Civilization. On 5 February 1855, three German missionaries, C.W Ottow, and J. G. Geissler landed on Mansinam island to introduce Gospel for the first time to the indigenous Papuan people. Although they and their successors faced a lot of hardships, and challenges finally they could spread the Good News to most of New Guinea. Now, most of the population are Christians. Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims gather in Manokwari to celebrate 5 February as the Gospel Preaching Day.  There street parade where Papuan tribes wear traditional costumes and perform traditional dances along the main streets of Manokwari city. This event attracts a lot of domestic and international tourists to Manokwari.

Visiting Mansinam Island
Visitors who go to Mansinam island can see foundations of the old church, school, dormitories, houses, well, cross monument and museum that were used by the missionaries and the earliest Christians who lived there. For those who are interested in nature, they can go hiking to the top of Mansinam to see a giant Jesus statue that stands on 4 concrete pillars that look like Papuan drums (tifa).

Walking Track that Circles Mansinam

The Forest
Most of Mansinam is still covered with tropical rainforest that is the natural habitat of a lot of species of plants, butterflies, beetles, reptiles, wild flowers and sweet cherry trees (called gersen) and birds. Exploring the forest is very easy. Visitors can walk along the concrete track that completely circles that island. The best time to explore the forest is in the mornings and late afternoons where birds and butterflies are more active. Bring binoculars and a good camera to take pictures of the forest, and its wildlife.
The concrete track is also good for anybody who likes jogging.

The Coral Reef
The underwater world of Mansinam is also beautiful. There is a huge coral reef area located in the southern coast of Mansinam. Tourists who stay there for several days can enjoy snorkeling to see a lot of species of fish such as grouper, damselfish, moorish idol, butterflyfish, parrotfish, anemonefish, boxfish, sea star, sea cucumber and turtles. Don't forget to bring your own snorkeling gear if you want to enjoy snorkeling in the island.

Mansinam Island

Booking

If you are interested in visiting and staying in Manokwari and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send whatsapp message to my number: +6281332245180

Birding in Raja Ampat Karst of Kabui bay

Birding in King karst of Raja Ampat

There are a number of karst formations in Raja Ampat. Some of them include Wayag, Piaynemo, Insouduwer, Misool, and Kofiau. They attract thousands of tourists every year. There is a karst formation in the region that is suitable for birding activities. Its name is Raja Karst.

Last week I organized a tour to Raja Karst for 3 foreign visitors who were from the United States. We went there by a motorized outrigger boat to see the beauty of its marine landscape and the wealth of its birdlife. As we entered the waters of Raja Karst, I asked the boat driver to lower the speed of the boat. A Striated Heron (Butorides striata) that was standing on a rock looking at us. As we moved deeper into the karst formation, we saw some Rainbow Bee-eater, Rainbow Lorikeet, Torresian Crow, Pacific Swallow, Olive-backed Sunbird, Black Sunbird, Beach Kingfisher, and Lesser Frigatebird, Willie Wagtail. We also saw a Spice Imperial Pigeon (Ducula myristicivora) flying over our boat and landed on a tree. 

Red Bird of Paradise

The karst islets were a very rich habitat for avifauna. They were located in remote area and far from the influence of human activities. I highly recommended this site for birders who want to see water and lowland and hill forest birds of New Guinea.

We also did several hiking in Waigeo island to watch Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra), and Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Diphyllodes respublica), Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Hooded Butcherbird, Palm Cockatoo, Hook-billed Kingfisher, Great Cuckoo Dove, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Great-billed Parrot and etc.
If you are interested in birding and snorkeling in Raja Ampat and wants me to be your guide, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Jungle Tour in Sorong Regency of West Papua

I have been organizing tours for tourists to tropical rainforest of  Sorong regency for years. The destination is Klasow valley located approximately two hours by 4WD car from Sorong city. A lot of tourists take wildlife tour to this forest before or after their trip in Raja Ampat.

Rainforest in Klaimis area of the valley is the habitat of various species of unique and beautiful birds such as Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, and etc.

Wildlife Watching Tour in Sorong regency of Indonesia

There are also mammals that we could see in the forest including cuscus, fruit bat, possum, dorcopsis, bandicoot, echidna and long-fingered trike. 

Klaimis forest of Klasow valley is also the habitat of colourful butterflies such as Ulysses Butterfly, Blue Tiger Butterfly, Common Green Birdwing, Silky Owl, New Guinea Clipper and etc.

So far most of the guests who visited the valley were from western countries such as the United States, The Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Germany and etc. Some came as a single travelers while others came as couples or as groups of three up to six people. More visitors are coming as more information is uploaded into the internet about the Klasow valley and Tambrauw mountains.

a Swiss tourist with the background of
tropical jungle of Klasow valley

The Rainforest

The plants that grow in Klasow valley are typical vegetation that is usually found in the lowland and coastal area of New Guinea. Big trees such as ficus, large conifer Agathis, and iron wood, and various species of palms live side by side with rattan and other vines or climbing plants.

There are also sago trees which the indigenous people process to make flour. Sago is the staple food of Moi tribe who live in the region.
Wildlife Watching
Tourists go to Klaimis forest of Klasow valley to see the rich bio-diversity of tropical rainforest that is the natural habitat of wallaby (a kind of small ground kangaroo, bandicoot, cassowary, wild pigs, sulphur crested cockatoo, goliath cockatoo, blyh's hornbill, goshawk, kingfisher, golden myna, dollar bird, pinon imperial pigeon and a lot of other birds. Colorful butterflies can also be seen in the area too. Birdwatching can usually be done from mornings until evening. Nocturnal bird such as Papuan Frogmouth can sometimes be heard calling from distant trees. At night, jungle walk can be carried out to see wallaby.

Accommodation for visitors in Klaimis forest of Sorong regency

Where to stay
Most of the tourists who visited Klasow valley stayed in homestay in Klaimis forest owned by villagers. They are made of wood. There is clean water installation and a simple toilet.

Cost: On the average the cost per person depends on the number of participants and how long they plan to stay in the forest. The cost must cover transportation by 4WD car, local guide, food, and basic accommodation in the jungle village.

Booking:
Please, contact my email: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing the following button:

Also read:

• Birding in Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa Regency
• Wildlife Tour in Klaimis Forest of Sorong Regency

Snorkeling at Warduwer Beach in Southern Waigeo of Raja Ampat Islands

House Reef at Raja Ampat Paradise Resort

A beach resort is being prepared in Raja Ampat. It will be ready in 2019. It has got house reef that is very good for visitors who are interested in snorkeling, and scuba diving.
I went there yesterday to enjoy freediving at the drop-off area of the house reef. I was accompanied by a villager who provided his canoe as a floating platform for me. It was approximately 10.00 A.M. when we pushed the outrigger canoe into the sea. We moved slowly to the reef whose distance was only 60 meters from the beach. After we were on a safe depth, I got into the boat and sat on the forward bench.  I began to wear the swimfins and snorkeling mask. The brand of snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, and swimfin) was Whale. It was not the best in town but it was a very good quality brand whose prices were more affordable.

Marine Life at Raja Ampat Paradise Resort

We paddled too fast. I did not realize that we had been in deep water. I told the canoe driver to move back. When I saw the drop-off reef, I slowly got off the canoe and immersed my body into the water. The visibility was very good. I could see the marine life up to around twenty meters. Fish were everywhere thriving among hard corals.
I used Nikon W300 to take pictures of the coral reef. Its shooting mode had been set into fish one. I did my first dive to a depth of around 7 meters. There were surgeonfish, wrasse, parrotfish, butterflyfish, moorish idol, soldierfish, sweepers, anemonefish, staghorn damsel, and a lot more.
After freediving for about fifteen minutes, I returned to the canoe to take a brake and tried another camera the Fujifilm XQ2. I also applied some shampoo on the surface of my snorkeling mask to eliminate the fog that covers the glass. After that I rinsed it with fresh water. I wore the mask again and returned to the coral reef. This time the mask became clearer again. I helped me a lot in finding my target fish.
I wanted to compare the results of my underwater photos taken by two different cameras. The ones taken by Nikon W300 had higher contrast whereas the ones taken by Fujifilm XQ2 were less contrast but had more details.
If you are interested in snorkeling in Raja Ampat and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180.
Where is Raja Ampat?
Freediving Pictures from Waigeo island
Snorkeling and Birding in Raja Ampat Karst

Yellow Billed Kingfisher Birds

I had a 5-day hiking and birding tour with 3 foreign visitors in Klasow valley of Sorong regency last month. We went there to watch Yellow-Billed Kingfisher (Syma torotoro), Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius), and Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus), and Northern Cassowary (Casuarius unappendiculatus). As a matter of fact we also saw a lot of other birds during the trip in the lowland forest of the regency.

Yellow-billed Kingfisher

I think October was the mating season for the Yellow-billed Kingfisher because I saw male and female were calling each other. I and a Chinese lady, who was one of the tour participants, were walking along the clearing area of the forest in the village in search of Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise when we heard the sounds of the Yellow-billed Kingfisher. We immediately turned our attention to the birds. We were very lucky, we could take a lot of pictures of the birds.

Eclectus Parrot over the sea of Raja Ampat

After birding for several days in Klasow valley, we continued our trip to Raja Ampat to see Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra) and Wilson's Bird of Paradise. It turned out to be a successful trip. We saw both of them. We also saw Eclectus Parrot, Hooded Butcherbird, Pacific Swallow, Torresian Crow, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, and Blyth's Hornbill. Raja Ampat was really a paradise for nature lovers.
Tomorrow, I will go to the valley again and I hope that I can see birds that I haven't seen before.
Also read:

• Birding Tour in Sonder town of Minahasa Highland
• Birding Trip in North Sulawesi

Minahasa Beach and Great-billed Kingfisher

Minahasa beach

I visited the coastal area of North Minahasa in its northern region to find Great-billed Kingfisher. It was a nice experience because I could enjoy the view of the blue sea, fishermen's boats, mountain, and water birds.

Great-billed Kingfisher usually lived in mangrove forest. To reach it, I organized a trip by boat through Kalinaun river in Likupang area. I was with 4 Taiwanese tourists. They were bird watchers.
Our boat moved slowly into the river, we saw some water birds flying over the river such as Little Egret, Great-billed Heron, but they were not our target of observation. There were Slender-billed Crow, and Pied Imperial Pigeon too.
When we were deep in the mangrove forest, we saw a Great-billed Kingfisher flying fast through the river. We asked the boat driver to chase him. It looked that the bird had disappeared behind in the forest. We decided to look for another one. Several minutes later we saw another Great-billed Kingfisher.

Great-billed Kingfisher

This time I asked the boat driver to turn off the engine. I and my friend took turn in paddling the boat. We approached the bird slowly and silently. I asked the tourists to take pictures when the kingfisher was within shooting range. They were so happy because they could watch it for a few minutes. The kingfisher dived to catch fish and then returned to its roosting place again.
When the tourists had taken pictures, I pulled my camera and shot the bird several times. I used Canon 200D with Tamron 150-600 mm G2 lens. It was quite powerful to shoot distant animals.
After shooting the bird, we returned to the beach and enjoyed the beautiful evening of Minahasan coast. We returned to Tangkoko with happy face.
If you are interested in traveling to North Sulawesi to see its beautiful landscape, beach, people, culture, birds and wildlife, and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Also read: 

• Birdwatching Tour in Minahasa Highland
• Birds in Minahasa

Affordable Snorkeling Vacation

Freediving Photo

There are a lot of coral reef areas in West Papua. They have become vacation destinations for visitors who like snorkeling and freediving. As a tourist guide, I offer snorkeling trips that are affordable for visitors traveling solo or in groups of 3 to 4 people or even more.
Flights
One of the destinations is Manokwari - the capital of West Papua province in Indonesia. Tourists can fly from their country to Jakarta city and then continue their trip by taking a domestic flight to Manokwari. Airlines such as Garuda, Sriwijaya, Batik Air and Wings Air provide regular flights to Manokwari. There are a lot of hotels which visitors can choose.
After taking several hours to one day rest in the hotel, the snorkeling tour can be started. Most of the coral reef areas which we will visit are located in the suburb of Manokwari. To minimize cost, we will travel by public transport vehicles. We may rent a car if tour participants agree with the price.

Coral Reef environment in Manokwari

Visitors need to bring their own snorkeling and freediving gears such as masks, snorkels and flippers. I can provide life jackets if visitors contact me well in advance before arriving in Manokwari. I personally have got some masks and flippers. The brand name is whale. The price is not expensive but the quality of the products is very good.
In November, December, January, the waves in the northern region of West Papua are high. However, snorkeling can be done in several other parts of West Papua.
Coral reef is a rich but very fragile marine environment. Visitors could see damselfish, butterflyfish, moorish idol, wrasse, parrotfish, sweetlips, striped surgeonfish, convict surgeonfish, boxfish, and a lot more. There are also sea star, sea urchin, and green sea grass in the water.
I have got a good book that I usually use to identify fish. Its title is Reef Fish Identification Tropical Pacific by Gerald Allen, Roger Steene, Paul Humann and Ned Deloach.
In the sky, I often sea frigate birds that like to fly over the sea to find fish.
Don't forget to bring a good camera such as Nikon W300 if you want to take pictures of the coral reef and fish.
Booking
Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180

Related Post:
What we can do to preserve coral reef

Rainforest Tour organized from Sorong Town

Trekking in the forest of Sorong regency of West Papua

I often receive emails from visitors who want to go trekking in the rainforest near Sorong town. Usually they want to combine their diving trip in Raja Ampat with jungle tour in the mainland New Guinea particularly near Sorong city.
I can organize a land tour or jungle tour to several destinations in West Papua.

• For visitors who only have got 2 to 3 days in Sorong, the destination that I offer is Klasow valley. 
• If they have got more than 3 days, the rainforest that I will offer is Tambrauw mountains (lowland forest along Syuan river or pristine forest in Ases valley).

Klasow Valley

This valley is only 1 hour away from Sorong town and another hour on foot to reach the jungle village of Malagufuk. Visitors who book the tour to Klasow valley can start the tour early in the morning. Wild animals that live in the valley are wallaby, cassowary, deer, wild pigs, soa-soa, and various species of birds including lesser birds of paradise, blyth's hornbills, sulphur crested cockatoo, western crowned pigeon, golden myna, yellow faced myna and a lot more. Visitors are advised to bring D-SLR camera with telephoto lens or a bridge camera with super telephoto capability such as Nikon Coolpix P900. The rainforest of Klasow valley is flat. So, it is suitable for anybody who cannot go trekking in sloppy mountains.

Tambrauw Mountains

Camping site in the jungle of Tambrauw mountains

This is the destination for visitors who have got more than 3 days to spend in the jungle. Tambrauw mountains are covered by huge tropical rainforest from its coastal area up to the mountainous regions. For coastal region, the usual destination where I bring my guests to is Syuan river. It is suitable for camping and trekking. Tents will be built at the bank of the river. During the tour, visitors can enjoy swimming and birdwatching as well as learning the medicinal functions of herbal plants that grow in the jungle.
Another destination in Tambrauw mountains is Ases valley. To reach the valley, visitors need to go by a 4WD car for 6 hours. After that the trip will be continued on foot for 2 hours. Deers, wallaby, cassowary bird, tree kangaroo, and a lot of species of birds live in the valley.

Western Crowned Pigeon in
the jungle of Klasow valley

As a tourist guide I have arranged a lot of rainforest trips for visitors who want to explore the tropical jungle of West Papua for several days. That's why I have got tents, air mattresses, rechargeable lights, cooking, eating, and other logistical gear that are needed for the tour. I also have contacts with local villagers and 4WD car drivers that I need to organize a jungle tour or expedition.
So, if you are interested in taking a rainforest tour that is organized from Sorong town, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Also read:

• Birding in Minahasa Highland: A Paradise for Avifauna Enthusiasts
• Birding and Butterflywatching in Sonder's Forest and Farmland
• Minahasa Highland Tour: Hiking, Birding and Sightseeing

Birding in Sorong and Raja Ampat of Indonesia

Kingfisher

I offer birding tours for visitors who are interested in watching tropical birds both in the forests of Raja Ampat and Sorong. The duration of the tour can be customized into a few days up to more than one week.

Birds that can be watched during the tour include Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Olive-backed Sunbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Amboyna Cuckoo-Dove, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Beautiful Fruit-Dove, Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove, Western Black-capped Lory, Rainbow Lorikeet, Eclectus Parrot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Red-cheeked Parrot and Palm Cockatoo, Large Fig Parrot, Black Parrot, Dollarbird, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Magnificent Riflebird, King Bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Lesser Birds of Paradise, Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Hooded Butcherbird, Spangled Drongo, Beach Kingfisher, Torresian Crow, Hook-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Crested-Tern, Papuan Hornbill, Willie Wagtail, etc.

Things to prepare:

• Binoculars such as Swarovski EL 8.5× 42 or any binoculars that are good enough to produce clear images og birds in distant trees.
• Camera with telephoto lens. A bridge camera such such Canon SX60HS, and Nikon P900 are very powerful photographic device for taking picture of birds. If you have got spotting scope, you could bring it too.
• Watershoes or hiking boots, t-shirts and pants that are suitable for hiking and watching birds in the forest.

How to get to Sorong?

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

• For international flights, you can fly from your country to Jakarta - the capital of Indonesia. 
• For domestic flights, you can continue your trip by flying to Sorong city. Daily regular flights are provided by such airlines as Garuda, Sriwijaya, Batik, Nam, and Lion Air.

Booking

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or use whatsapp: +6281332245180